I’m very routine-oriented so every year when my car registration expires I take it to the same traffic department in Jabriya and go through their long clumsy process to get the papers renewed. What is the process? First I have to go to an insurance office to renew my insurance. Then I then need to head to the traffic department in the morning, wait in a long line for my car to get checked. If it passes I then need to find a place to park my car so I can go to a small office in a shack to get my papers stamped. Once that is done I then need to leave and come back in the afternoon and head to the super busy main traffic department building (the mornings are only for Kuwaitis) and buy a stamp and then submit my papers to have the registration booklet printed. If I have a fine I’ll have to get my papers back and head to the fine payment section upstairs, wait in a long line and then head back down and submit my papers again. A very complicated and inefficient process.
But years ago private car inspection centers started popping up but I never thought to try them out until now. Due to Covid and not wanting to deal with large crowds, I decided to try a private center and all I can say is WTF, I can’t believe it took me this look to go the private route!
I just renewed two of my cars last month and the process couldn’t have been easier. I went to a place in Al-Rai called Super Service and both times I was in and out in under 30 minutes. The first thing you need to do is drive your car into the center and leave it running. You then head inside and give your registration booklet to the receptionist who photocopies it and then tells you to hand over your documents to one of their employees at a counter. That employee will fill in all the paperwork, renew your insurance, and also let you know if you have any fines to pay. You then pay for everything (fines included) using Knet and go sit down and wait. 10-15 minutes later your car is done getting checked and your new registration is printed and you get in your car and leave.
That’s it!!
I paid KD29 to renew my paperwork which is very reasonable considering how fast, smooth and anxiety-free the process was. There is no way I’m ever going back to renewing my car registration the old-fashioned way at the traffic department, not unless I have to. There are a number of private inspection centers but if you want to visit the one I went to, here is their location on Google Maps.
36 replies on “Private Vehicle Inspection Center”
Strangely… You tried them after such a long time…đź‘Ť
I know! Can’t belive it took me so long
Mark,
Will the private inspection place be able to print out a separate insurance form for your car? My insurance has been updated, I just need a hard copy.
No idea
there are services that will come to your home, take your registration card and vehicle, and return it with the new registration card. you don’t even need to get in the car.
yeah but don’t want some stranger driving my car
A few years ago and this year I’ve been going to Daman Inspection Centre…pretty efficient and quick. Saves a lot of hassle as compared to the traffic department as mentioned in your article.
Tried Daman in Fahaheel and it was almost 1.5 hours of hell.
I had to go in and out of my car like 3 times and walk around the building everytime because and there was no parking all of those 3 times so it was a huge hassle.
I had people blocking my car making it impossible to pull out
2 long 20 minute waits for paperwork.
The entrance and exit was the same
So it created chaos when trying to drive out because a car was trying to drive in at the same time.
I had to reverse and there were cars behind me beeping so I couldn’t reverse. Was literal hell. Worse than the government process and I paid 10d extra.
I’m going to try Mark’s place next time.
I rewrite the above post and added some more details:
I had to go in and out of my car like 3 times and there was no parking all of those 3 times so it was a huge hassle.
I had to walk around the building everytime because there is no path between the inspection area and the paperwork area. I had to walk in the drive through area squeezing between the cars.
I had people blocking my car making it impossible to pull out
2 long 20 minute waits for paperwork.
The entrance and exit was the same so it created chaos when trying to drive out because a car was trying to drive in at the same time.
I had to reverse and there were cars behind me beeping so I couldn’t reverse. Was literal hell. Worse than the government process and I paid 10d extra.
I also noticed some people are mentioning they did nothing and just sat in a room and had it done. I guess I wasn’t Kuwaiti enough for them and had to do it manually?
The gov process is not that complicated or hard either, it’s only the waiting time, you can check and pay fines online, same thing for insurance.
The government process is complicated, please read the first paragraph.
nah its not
yeah it is as you can see.
Been using such services for years now, yup, no going back! I hope they soon allow these companies to do car transfers as well; that would be awesome.
Been using the private service for a few years now. Its the best thing !! 15 Mins and I’m out !!
Otherwise at the govt center, the officer would say there is bad smoke in the exhaust, repair and come back. (in actual there isn’t any smoke) So I would wait for 2 days and go back. This time magically there is no smoke and the car has passed the inspection!!
Hey Kevin. Which one takes 15 minutes? Tried Daman in Fahaheel and it was almost 1.5 hours of hell. It was somehow more stressful than the government process for me.
This is what the government should do when they no longer can manage the country .. Privatization is the solution.
That’s the difference between government vs private.
The objective of private is to provide a service while making a profit, so quicker turnaround is absolutely a must. In that way they can cater to more people.
Every single person in the government’s office is paid a fat salary and does like half the work of their counterparts in private. Doesn’t really matter as at the end of the day the government’s objective is providing jobs to these people.
I remember the old days of inspection, trying to get the guy’s attention so he won’t notice the cracks and dings on my car and reject me. As a non-Arab I never knew exactly where to go or what to do until I tried the Dasman inspection center. As a female I was given priority and sat in a female only waiting area. They did everything for me, I never had a rejection although my mom’s husband was rejected due to the fading paint and was told to repaint. I told them let me take it, I took it and it was passed. Definitely the best business idea ever made in Kuwait lol
Very convenient service
I’ve been a customer for the past 3 years
Anyone know a private inspection company that would pass my car if it’s modded to hell (exhaust, cai etc)?
I’m concerned about my Datsun, usually you’re meant to take it to the city traffic department and on a Wednesday since that’s the day they’ve dedicated to Datsuns. But my car is now a different color, and I’ve got an aftermarket exhaust cuz I did a full restoration
Please update me if you find a place that’d not take a thorough look on ur car. Last year I went to Daman and my car only had a welded-on catback and they passed it. This time it basically has full bolt-ons, cam etc and am planning to force idnuct it in the near future.
Hi has every car being brought to the inspection center every year?
My car is just one year old
When u buy a brand new car it comes with a 3 year registration, after that u can renew it for 2 years, and then it becomes yearly
The 2 year extension can be done twice (3+2+2) & there after every year.
If you’ve bought it brand new from the showroom, I believe the daftar (registration book) has a 3 year validity period.
After this timeline, it’s every year.
I do my car inspection at Jabriya, maybe I’m lucky but it’s almost empty when I get there.
But it’s definitely nice that these private businesses are taking some of the burden from the government sector. A small fee in exchange of peace of mind and premium service, it’s win-win situation for both parties.
@ Navin
Actually I believe its ; if your car is new as in less than 5 or 10years from date of production they renew your car for 02 years at a stretch after the initial 03 year date.; Not just one year .
I renewed my wife’s car registration for 02 years in 2019 at Dammam . Her car is a 2016 RAV 4 and its up for renewal in December this year. So I’ll know for sure based on the renewal date if the conditions are less than 05 years or 10 year from date of production.
I have tried quite a few of them in the past few years since my office is in Al Rai & DAMAN tops them all. Its just super-efficient. Privatization of Car Inspection is the best thing that has happened to me at least as I used to dread going to the Governate’s Traffic Department!
The process is not complicated at all as u mentioned, i have been doing it for the past 20 years for 3 cars per year at least
1) Pay ur fines online 1 day before
2) on ur way to the inspection dep entrance, stop and do ur insurance opposite to the entrance (5 min)
3) go inside to check ur car (10 min max)
4) park and go inside to stamp it (5 min)
5) (Now this is the bad part which Private is worth it) yiu have to come after noon to print the new Registration (30 – 60 min) TIP: dont go early … Go towards the end 6pm)
Ummm the process you just mentioned is EXACTLY what I said in my post and if you don’t find the process complicated it’s because like me, you hadn’t tried private. Also you can’t pay the 5kd late registration fee online, you can only pay it after it gets flagged in the system at the traffic department.
Well thats not complicated!!!
Yes u cant pay the late renewal fine online (but that is not normal – its an added step)
And yes private is easier
But the gov is not complicated
This post came at the perfect timing, i need to renew my registration next week and i was dreading the process with the government. Do you happen to know if they can also transfer a car registration from one name to another?
Not sure but I need to do that myself for two of my cars so if it turns out they do can you let me know?
Did you pay 29 KD ? I used to pay 20 KD (Insurance), 10 KD (for the inspection office ) and 5 Kd ( Stamp )
Total 35 KD